Toe slipper



Feb. 1o. 1925. 1,525,848

n B. S. BONAVENTURE TOE SLIPPER Filed April 22 1924 Barney JarzaverzZaM/O) www @not nw 11 sary stiffness.

Patented Feb. lO, 1925.

UNITEIDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

' BARNEY S. BONAVENTURE, OF NEW YORK, N.'Y.

TOE SLIPPER.

Application led April 22, 1924. Serial No. 708,250.

This invention relates t0 toe slippers such as used by ballet dancers.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a slipper of this type which does not utilize wood or metal in the construction thereof.

A further object is to provide a toe slipper which allows the wearerto dance either on the toes or to dance flat.

Another object is to provide a toe slipper, the boxing of which is stiiiened or hardened in a new and novel manner without adding materially to the weight of the slipper.

A still further object is to provide a toe slipper the. arch portion of which includes a leather shank, the parts of which areassembled in a peculiar way to give the neces Other objects are to so finish the edge of the slipper as to'aford the desired strength and comfort, andv to employ simple and efficient means for holding the slipper firmly in place.

With the foregoing and other-objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides iny the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood I that changes in thel precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawin f Figure 1 is a Aside elevation of the slipper.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.l Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view. Fig. 4 is a central longitudinal section. Referring to the figures by characters-of reference 1 designates the body portion of the slipper made of satin or any other suitable material properly shaped and provided along the top edge with a continuous binding 2 in which may be mounted a vdraw string 3 adapted to be fastened at the front of the slipper. The slipper is lined with any suitable material such as indicated at 4 and the space between the lining and the toe portion of the slipper body is provided with a stiffening filling formed of several layers of canvas or other suitable strong `fabric indicated generally at 5 thoroughlj,Y

saturated with a paste formed of rye Hour. The lower edge portions of the body of the slipper are gathered between the thicknesses 6 and 7 constituting the shank of the slipper, these thicknesses being of stiif leather and the material inserted therebetween being held by glue. The inner layer 7 of the shank is extended beyond 4the front end of the outer layer 6 and the filling 5 forming the box of the toe is extended under and in front of this forwardly projecting portion as shown clearly in Fig. 4. The two layers 6 and 7 are bent to arcuate form and are held-together by a suitable glue so that after being shaped and glued together the arcuate contour will be maintained. If desired, brads 8 can be driven through the thicknesses of the shank at intervals to assist the adhesive in holding the thicknesses against relative displacement. The boxing, when dry. willl provide a very rigid toe portion which will properly support the dancer. 'The arcuate leather shank will allow the wearer to dance flat as well as on the toes and, by reason of the arcuate contour of the shank, the arch of the foot will be materially supported during toe dancing. The binding provided along the top edge of the slipper will prevent the slipper from cutting into the top'of the foot. The string 3 al- :lEows the slipper to be held firmly upon the oot. f'

Importance isattached to the fact that neither wood nor metal, such as boxes or Shanks, are used in the construction of this slipper and consequently the slipper is light .and comfortable but at the' same time possesses all of the advantages without many ofthe disadvantages heretofore present in ,structures using wood and metal.

What is claimed is 1. In' a toe slipper, an arcuate shank comprising separate layers of relatively stiff material glued together. and a box extending in front of and over and under the front portion of the shank.

2. In a toe slipper. an arcuate shank comprising separate relatively stiE layers of material held together with an adhesive, one of the layers being extended forwardly beyond the other, and a box extending in front of and over and under the tion of the Shank.

3. In a toe slipper. an arcuate shank comprising relatively stiff layers of material held together. a body portion Agathered together and held along one edge between said layers, the upper layer having a forwardly projecting portion. and a box within said bod)y projecting porportion extending in front of'and over and leather glued together'` and a box extendingv in front of and over and under the front portion of the shank. said box including a plurality of layers of fabric bound together with hardened paste.

6. Tn a toe slipper an arcuate shank comprising separate relatively stiff layers of leather held together by an adhesive, one

of said layers being extended forwardly beyond the other layer, and a box extending in front of and over and under the pro'ectmg portion of the shank, said box inc uding thicknesses of fabric bound together and stitened by a hardened paste.

7 In a toe slipper an arcuate shank vcomprising relatively stiff layers of leather held together by an adhesive. a body portion gathered together and held at its lower edge between said layers, the upper layer having a forwardly projecting portion, a box within said body portion extending in front of and over and under the projecting portion of the shank. said box including layers of fabric stiffened by hardened paste. a hinder upon the upper edge of the body, and a draw cord connected to the binder.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto alixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BARNEY S. BONAVENTURE. lVitnesses:

SAMUEL FREEDMAN, LEW S. BURNS. 

